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Ghost [Blu-ray]
(Jerry Zucker, 1990)
Review by Gary Tooze
Studio: Paramount
Discs:
Region: FREE
Feature Runtime: 2:06:39.592
Chapters: 34
Feature film disc size: 38,186,065,920 bytes
Disc Size: 42,557,483,538 bytes
Average bitrate 40.02 Mbps
One dual-layered Blu-ray
Case: Standard Blu-ray case
Release date: December 30th, 2008
Video:
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Resolution: 1080p
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Audio:
Dolby TrueHD Audio English 3176 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 3176
kbps / 24-bit (AC3 Core: 5.1 / 48
kHz / 640 kbps)
Dolby Digital Audio French 640 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 640
kbps
Dolby Digital Audio Spanish 640 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 640
kbps
Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192
kbps
Subtitles:
Feature: English (SDH), English, French, Spanish,
Portuguese and none
Supplements:
• Commentary by Director Jerry Zucker and writer
Bruce Joel Rubin
•
Featurette: Ghost Stories: The Making of a Classic
•
Inside the Paranormal
•
Alchemy of a Love Scene
• Cinema's Great Romances
•
Theatrical Trailer in HD
•
Photo Gallery
Bitrate Graph:
Product Description: Think of the most touching love story you ever saw. Think,
too, of the brightest comedy, the most astonishing supernatural tale and a sleek
mystery-thriller. Did you come up with four separate films? Or are you among the
millions of fans and critics who've discovered Ghost, the #1 film of 1990? Ghost
will surprise you, delight you, make you believe. Patrick Swayze plays a ghost
who teams with a psychic (Academy Award winner Whoopi Goldberg) to uncover the
truth behind his murder - and to rescue his sweetheart (Demi Moore) from a
similar fate...
The Film:
''Ghost'' begins by
presenting Sam Wheat, an improbably named investment
banker (Mr. Swayze), and Molly Jensen, an up-and-coming
artist (Ms. Moore), as an idyllically happy New York
couple moving into a new loft. But an angel being
hoisted into the loft's window, a news report of an
airplane crash and even Molly's desire to see a
performance of ''Macbeth'' - all these things foretell
trouble. Sure enough, Sam and Molly are strolling
amorously down a deserted street when a gun-toting
mugger appears. Sam's number is up.
The film's attitude about ghosthood is so uncertain that
it doesn't allow Sam much chance to adjust. He finds
himself in a hospital emergency room, where a fellow
ghost (Phil Leeds) talks like a borscht-belt comic; he
wanders around dazedly trying to get used to the fact
that he can walk through doors and turnstiles. He
returns to Molly but can't communicate with her at all.
He discovers a terrible secret about a colleague, even
though the audience is already miles ahead of him. (For
the forseeable future, it looks as though the mere sight
of suspenders will be enough to seal a yuppie film
character's fate.) Fortunately, the third of the film's
three stars is Whoopi Goldberg, the one performer here
who seems to have a clear idea of what she's up to.
Dressed in a long teased wig and flowing gold robes, Ms.
Goldberg plays a disreputable medium named Oda Mae Brown
who is horrified to find one of her bogus seances
interrupted by a real ghost. Oda Mae becomes Sam's means
of communicating with the corporeal world, and Ms.
Goldberg plays the character's amazement, irritation and
great gift for back talk to the hilt. This is one of
those rare occasions on which the uncategorizable Ms.
Goldberg has found a film role that really suits her,
and she makes the most of it...
Excerpt from
Janet Maslin of the NY Times located HERE
Image :
NOTE:
The below
Blu-ray
captures were taken directly from the
Blu-ray
disc.
Almost 20-years old now but the
Blu-ray
transfer holds up surprisingly well. While you can tell
that this is not a modern film - visual attributes like
detail and colors are occasionally excellent. Swayze has
some close-ups that really show off the 1080P
resolution. Demi Moore, on the other hand - either due
to lighting or lens, seems to show a much softer visage
in Ghost. The feature takes up almost 40 Gig on
the dual-layered
Blu-ray
disc and the bitrate is very high (40 Mbps!) so I expect
this looks as good as this film can. Flowers at the
funeral and Whoopi's dresses display
some real vibrancy
and skin tones seem faithful without manipulations. If
you are a fan of the film - you will be very pleased
with this image quality and others may find it equally
impressive. The
Blu-ray
transfer shouldn't deter anyone from indulging -
Paramount have given us a solid image here. Very strong
indeed.
CLICK EACH
BLU-RAY
CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Audio & Music:
The True HD track is pretty good too. There are some
more exciting moments but there is not an over-abundance
that permeates to the rear speakers. I appreciate the
subtle touches in the mix and those who know the film -
it is quite a passive track. The popularity of the
film gave The Righteous Brothers and songs like
Unchained Melody and Since I Fell For You a
resurgence and the TrueHD gives that music a wonderful
clean tight presentation. The commentary is in 2.0 channel
and there are 2 optional Foreign language 5.1 DUBs.
There are optional subtitles
offered in
English (SDH), French, Portuguese or Spanish.
Extras:
I don't see anything new from beyond the Special
Collector's Edition DVD: "This DVD
edition includes an audio commentary by director Jerry
Zucker and writer Bruce Joel Rubin. Ghost is a
professional highpoint for both men (Rubin won an Oscar
for Original Screenplay), so their comments are mostly
fond recollections of a great time in their lives.
“Ghost Stories: The Making of a Classic” is a
retrospective featurette with vintage on-the-set video
footage of rehearsals and downtime as well as interviews
that were shot recently. “Inside the Paranormal” offers
interviews with psychics and “mediums”. “Alchemy of a
Love Scene” focuses on Swayze and Moore fooling around
with wet clay. “Cinema’s Great Romances” uses the
American Film Institute’s “100 Great Movies” promotional
campaign to advertise other love stories from Paramount.
Finally, you get a photo gallery, the trailer for Ghost,
and trailers for other Paramount titles. "
The trailer on the
Blu-ray, however, is in HD!
Bottom line:
I think it's far too easy to critique the film on a
number of 'logic-based' fronts - but if you suspend your
disbelief for the story - it's not hard to understand
the film's immense popularity.
As most know -
this is not classic cinema by any definition I'd be
aware, but it does seemed to have carved itself out a
healthy niche and loyal fanbase. I was reminded very
much of Anthony Minghella's
Truly Madly Deeply - which I quite enjoyed. It's
been out for long enough now that it will have it's
detractors and those who love it for what it's worth. I
won't say much more than I can see the appeal in the
departments of romance and comedy. The
Blu-ray does
a stellar job of presenting Ghost in an extremely
pleasing transfer (both video and audio). Supplements
exist for those who are keen to indulge and whether luck
or timing - Ghost touched a large number of film
fans. The
Blu-ray does
its job - and then some.
Gary Tooze
December 12th, 2008
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